I live right around the bend from the Eckert Plant and I find it have a kind of steam punk personality with the noise it makes as you go by on the river trail, it kind of goes like clunk clunk woerrrrr woerrr pishisssh which seems like such a small sound to come out of this huge building. The smoke stacks that we call the towers are a great landmark you can see for miles and their gray cement can reflect the color of the sky. I often think of them as a monumental sculpture. Their purpose of sending our pollution down wind to land on other's lakes and forests is not so great however. As for finding power to replace the plant, I think I once heard they could start up the turbines in that little building by the damn any time. This could be quite wrong but why not use hydro-electric power as a part of the answer the damn is there, why not use it? May be BTW could partener with GM and install solar panels over all the open lots like MSU is doing over some of their outer parking lots. The roofs of the plants could also have solar panels.
The area where Eckert is, can be reached by two bridges,and the river trail, this could be the site of some sort of attraction, like an aquarium or winter garden in the one nice building. I could also see clearing the site completely, building a park there with a lock and fish latter that access the up river. Really crazy would be if they built a boat lock, took down the damn and built a natural falls and rapids. The area where the plant was could serve as flood plain during high water. What ever they do they must take down the buildings that are no longer in use.
I was wondering in that same area, are the former Olds administration and engineering buildings seem to be serving only as billboards. Does GM use them for anything? They are really nice mid-century modern buildings which they seem to also be using for junk storage that can be seen through the windows. I just moved here so I know everyone must be use to it but it seems kind of sad to me to see these nice building that were so cool at the time not used for something. Maybe a college could open a transportation engineering school there.
@gbinlansing I'd agree with you that the best possible reuse for Eckert or the property is as some sort of attraction because of its isolated location. I was thinking it would make a great location for a new R E Olds museum if only they could fund something that large. It could also work as a resort style hotel (with casino?), perhaps with an indoor water park wrapping around the north and east sides of the building. I wonder if there's been any serious discussion about the future of the Eckert site?
@MichMatters I'm also amazed that the Olds HQ is still standing, I assume that GM has something in mind for it since it's still standing. It's a rather large building with a lot of parking, I don't know how likely it is that they'll ever use all of it even if they do find a use for it.
I think a more realistic approach for the Eckert and GM site are new neighborhoods. There aren't many large open areas of land within the center of the city that could still be developed and provide new construction homes. The flood zone shouldn't prevent development in the area, some parts could become parkland while others could have homes that are built on top of their garage.
Yeah the Olds HQ would make a decent spot for a new RE Olds museum also, although I'd personally like to see them move into a space with more vertical room to accommodate larger items/exhibits. I've always wanted to see them expand their focus beyond just cars, adding industrial exhibits/equipment, trains and maybe some other related stuff. This circles back around to the lack of philanthropy in Lansing along with the unwillingness of the City to finance anything noteworthy.
I've also been surprised that one, the Olds Administration building is still standing, and two that nothing has been done or mentioned about it besides serving as a giant Cadillac Billboard. I live on the Westside and often use the access to the River Trail when I go for bike rides and am always amazed by the building even in its current state. The detail and quality of materials show what a statement it was about Oldsmobile. It's one of the better exampleS of International style architecture we have in the area. I thought it was shameful to simply cover it up with the advertisement but at the same time at least it hides all of the clutter inside. I'd love to see something done with the building, sooner rather than later. I'm surprised GM doesn't even want it for local offices of any kind.
It sounds like we're all on the same page as to the importance of Olds and the REOlds Museum. Much of the project I had that focused on REO Town focused on the history and how to incorporate it the way it should be for the impact it had locally and nationally. I think the most surprising to the panel of jurors was how much Olds contributed to Lansing and what we have left to pay respects. The factory was torn down, the mansion was torn down, all that's really left is a museum in a flood plain and a tired administration building behind a rusting chain link fence.
Sorry for the rant, just something I feel strongly on, as I'm sure most of you do too. I'd like to think Lansing has learned their lesson from tearing down anything of possible historical significance that could be saved. I feel the direction taken with Eastern could be evidence of that.
Thank you to everyone for your interesting thoughts, it is so great to find others who think about these things.
I had not thought of it but a R.E. Olds/Lansing history museum would be great in either the old Olds buildings or the Eckhart site. I was looking at the area and if that land were to become a park with the cooling towers gone there could be space for the river trail to go up the north shore of the river to Grand River Park.
I often entertain thoughts of what I would do with all of that area around MLK. I think it could be a high density neighborhood with an industrial and transportation "innovation district" starting at the Olds administration building. Build new housing on the high north bank. Maybe cover the railroad tracks and build over them. I could see a "greenway" covering 496 with buildings at the cross streets that would reconnect the area to downtown. It does seem that GM is slowly filling in the empty spaces, so I know there is little chance of anything else will be built there.
I like Lymon89's comments and passion for Lansing. We have such a great city with nearly two hundred years of history, things that happened in Lansing changed the world. Maybe it is because the most people who live here now did not grow up here and don't have the same interest here. We should be promoting this history through preservation of what is left of our 19th and 20th century Lansing. Educating students and residents about Lansing and how great it is that we still have a real city with it's own identity and sense of place. Saving the old pieces, and making new redevelopment unique and beautiful will save Lansing from becoming just another ugly little city.
Well, it's a start. I'm not sure whatever you can squeeze into a 1k sq ft space is going to be enough to convince people to frequent it though. It seems like a general purpose grocer is also kind of counterproductive to the idea of a market. Then again, the current City Market is a failure anyways, maybe it will just end up being the grocery store and the restaurant.
While it is true I think the should tear the building down and start over, it does not seem like that will happen, not until they build the casino anyway. So I do think that this a positive thing for market and neighbors. I have seen some pretty small grocery's out east, they often have high stacked shelves. Here is the thing, as a person who goes to the market, for me a stroll down the river trail, I would go to a grocery there. Again out east the connivance of the little neighborhood grocery was had for a price. I don't know if a little expensive grocery will make it there. That will be a balance that could be a challenge.
Ever since I returned to Lansing I have gone to the vendors that are there, the space is very warehouse like place, with the only real professional set up being the cheese vendor. Help all the vendors to create a better more permanent looking spaces. Somehow warm the whole place up, the silver insulation is cold and ugly. Make the place look less cheap is the word I would use.
The more thought I've put into it the more I feel like there is no saving the current market; the location is poor for a market, the building is cheaply built and small with little to no room to expand and there's very little parking.
I continue to think the best solution is to move the market to larger lot and model it more after Detroit's Eastern Market with elements of Grand Rapids Downtown Market also. As I've mentioned before my first choice for a location for a new market would be in the Atmosphere Annealing building on Mt Hope as a centerpiece to the redevelopment of that complex, another great location would be to build new on the Friedland's property. Almost any large property on a main road between Old Town and REO Town could do though.
Realistically, the market will probably be allowed to flounder for years, if not decades and will be closed after nobody cares, the land sold off for development.
Comments
The area where Eckert is, can be reached by two bridges,and the river trail, this could be the site of some sort of attraction, like an aquarium or winter garden in the one nice building. I could also see clearing the site completely, building a park there with a lock and fish latter that access the up river. Really crazy would be if they built a boat lock, took down the damn and built a natural falls and rapids. The area where the plant was could serve as flood plain during high water. What ever they do they must take down the buildings that are no longer in use.
I was wondering in that same area, are the former Olds administration and engineering buildings seem to be serving only as billboards. Does GM use them for anything? They are really nice mid-century modern buildings which they seem to also be using for junk storage that can be seen through the windows. I just moved here so I know everyone must be use to it but it seems kind of sad to me to see these nice building that were so cool at the time not used for something. Maybe a college could open a transportation engineering school there.
@MichMatters I'm also amazed that the Olds HQ is still standing, I assume that GM has something in mind for it since it's still standing. It's a rather large building with a lot of parking, I don't know how likely it is that they'll ever use all of it even if they do find a use for it.
It sounds like we're all on the same page as to the importance of Olds and the REOlds Museum. Much of the project I had that focused on REO Town focused on the history and how to incorporate it the way it should be for the impact it had locally and nationally. I think the most surprising to the panel of jurors was how much Olds contributed to Lansing and what we have left to pay respects. The factory was torn down, the mansion was torn down, all that's really left is a museum in a flood plain and a tired administration building behind a rusting chain link fence.
Sorry for the rant, just something I feel strongly on, as I'm sure most of you do too. I'd like to think Lansing has learned their lesson from tearing down anything of possible historical significance that could be saved. I feel the direction taken with Eastern could be evidence of that.
I had not thought of it but a R.E. Olds/Lansing history museum would be great in either the old Olds buildings or the Eckhart site. I was looking at the area and if that land were to become a park with the cooling towers gone there could be space for the river trail to go up the north shore of the river to Grand River Park.
I often entertain thoughts of what I would do with all of that area around MLK. I think it could be a high density neighborhood with an industrial and transportation "innovation district" starting at the Olds administration building. Build new housing on the high north bank. Maybe cover the railroad tracks and build over them. I could see a "greenway" covering 496 with buildings at the cross streets that would reconnect the area to downtown. It does seem that GM is slowly filling in the empty spaces, so I know there is little chance of anything else will be built there.
I like Lymon89's comments and passion for Lansing. We have such a great city with nearly two hundred years of history, things that happened in Lansing changed the world. Maybe it is because the most people who live here now did not grow up here and don't have the same interest here. We should be promoting this history through preservation of what is left of our 19th and 20th century Lansing. Educating students and residents about Lansing and how great it is that we still have a real city with it's own identity and sense of place. Saving the old pieces, and making new redevelopment unique and beautiful will save Lansing from becoming just another ugly little city.
Ever since I returned to Lansing I have gone to the vendors that are there, the space is very warehouse like place, with the only real professional set up being the cheese vendor. Help all the vendors to create a better more permanent looking spaces. Somehow warm the whole place up, the silver insulation is cold and ugly. Make the place look less cheap is the word I would use.
I continue to think the best solution is to move the market to larger lot and model it more after Detroit's Eastern Market with elements of Grand Rapids Downtown Market also. As I've mentioned before my first choice for a location for a new market would be in the Atmosphere Annealing building on Mt Hope as a centerpiece to the redevelopment of that complex, another great location would be to build new on the Friedland's property. Almost any large property on a main road between Old Town and REO Town could do though.
Realistically, the market will probably be allowed to flounder for years, if not decades and will be closed after nobody cares, the land sold off for development.